Burglarproof lock



Feb. 13, 1951 J. J. WALSH BURGLARPROOF LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31, 1947 INVENTOR. JAM; JOSEPH h Aw/ HI) ATTORN EY Feb. 13, 1951 J. J. WALSH BURGLARPROOF LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1947 INVENTOR. jmz; J05: fl/ Mus/l /0 45 BY W ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES ATE'ZNT Q FICE BURGLAR-PROGF LOCK James Joseph Walsh, Baltimore, Md.

Application July 31, 1947, Serial No. 154,379

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to looks for doors and the like, and its object is to provide an improved lock which is capable of releasing a charge of gas Whenever any attempt is made to force it.

The invention resides in an improved lock having a bolt which may be manipulated with perfect safety by using the proper key, but which will actuate a certain mechanism for discharging a noxious gas whenever sufficient force is applied to the lock to cause the bolt to move laterally or to bend. The person forcing the lock is repelled or overcom by th gas before the bolt is forced from its socket.

The present device is improvement over applicants prior invention, United States Patent No. 1,758,096. The invention involves improved means for actuating the gas discharging means, as well as an improved type gas container and release device which is safe to install and which will stand considerable jarring, as may occur in slamming the door, without being set off.

A further improvement involves a lock adapted for use with sliding doors or with double swinging doors or others found in garages, warehouses, etc.

t is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved burglar-proof lock which releases a noxious gas when forced, but does not do so when key actuated in the proper manner.

It i a further object of the present invention to provide an improved burglar-proof lock adapted for use on sliding doors or double doors, which will release noxious gas when forced, out not when properly key actuated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved burglar-proof loci; adapted to release noxious gas when forced, but which will not otherwise release noxious gas even under substantial shock.

These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the device of the present invention, preferred embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view, partially fragmentary, of a door having installed thereon one embodiment of the improved lock, and;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the mechanism of the lock shown in Figure 1, with the cover plate removed, and;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the lines 33 of Figure 2, and;

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, at the lock shown in Figure 1, wherein the principal parts are unassembled; and

Figure 5 is a perspective of an alternative form of the lock shown in Figure 1, installed on double doors, fragments of which are shown.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown one embodiment of the lock, comprising a cover plate H1 and a back plate ll. Protruding through a fragment of the door [2 i the face of a conventional lock barrel 53. Bolt 15 is shown in the extended Or locked position, where it is adapted to contact a socket, not shown, which is attached to the door jamb in the customary manner. The back plate ll contains two apertures iii, through which gas may escape into an aperture [7 in the door, which opens out on the edge of the door so that gas can escape. These apertures are shown to be rectangular, but may just as Well be round.

With reference to Figure 2, there is shown an elevational view of the lock with the cover plate removed. Bolt i5 ha integrally attached thereto a bolt plate is containing an elongated slot 20 and carrying an inwardly extending flange 19a. Pivotally attached to the bolt plate is a. tumbler 2 l, attached to one end of which is a leaf spring 22 adapted to contact bolt is to urge the tumbler upwardly. An arm 2d, which is adapted to osc illate when actuated by a key and which depresses the tumbler 2|, moves bolt plate 19 by means of abutments 25 thereon in the customary manner for key actuated locks of the type.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of two springs attached to back plate I! and about which the slot 2! rccipror cates in the ordinary action of the bolt. A side view of these springs is shown in the section in Figure 3. Spring 2? is a spiral spring which is secured in adjustable relationship to back plate H by a set screw 23. t may be provided with a washer 29, as illustrated, to aid in retaining the spring, and there is also provided a lower Washer 3d which irictionally engages bolt late I9. as it reciprocates, and the spring acts to keep the bolt plate against the back plate. Spiral torsion spring 32 is mounted on a rectangular abutment 33 which extends through guide slot 2c. The spring is ad-. justably attached to the abutment by set screw 36 One end of the torsion spring engages a hammer 33, While the other end may be looped around spring 2?. The hammer is pivotally mounted on the screw 34 and is maintained in the upright or cooked position by means of ledge 31 which may be integrally formed on the back plate. The flange Eda on the plate is is adapted to engage the hammer 36 when the latch bolt is moved laterally.

The back plate contains a number of ears 40, which are adapted to engage the cover plate and which may contain holes for screws or other attachments thereto.

One edge of bolt plate I9, several of the ears 40, and the cover plate It) all serve to define a space within which is placed the bomb container 4|. For easy removal and replacement, it is preferable that this bomb container be substantially rectangular so as to substantially fill the space as provided, and be retained in position therein without attachment directly to any part of the lock. Pivotally attached to the top of the bomb container Q! is a firing pin 42 which engages an explosive cartridge 43. The explosive cartridge 43, when set oiT, has its force retained in the bomb container 4|, which is preferably of a metal such as steel. A cylinder of noxious gas 44 in the bomb container is pierced by a fragment of the explosive cartridge. This cylinder may be of metal such that it will withstand substantial shock which may be caused by slamming the door, and is not easily set off by any such shock, including that which might be encountered in handling the device. Its walls, however, are just sufficiently thin that they will be pierced by a part of the explosive cartridge. It will be seen that in transporting or installing the device, the firing pin 42 may be swung away from contact with the cartridge, and may be placed on top of the cartridge only when the lock is assembled for actual use. The metal cylinder is also particularly advantageous because it can retain gas under high pressure for long periods of time.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the principal parts of the lock in unassembled relationship. This View also shows an additional lock barrel so that the lock may be operated by a key from the inside, as well as from the outside.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative form of the lock shown in Figure 1, which may be installed on double doors 45 and 46. A clasp 4! is welded or otherwise attached to the bolt l5, and a chain 48 attached to a hasp 49 by means of a padlock 50 provides the connection between the two doors. It will be seen that if the lock is installed on the inside of the door, and an attempt is made to force the door open from the outside, the chain will cause a lateral movement of the bolt to set ofi the noxious gas. In this use of the lock, it is not necessary to use the barrel locks, but the lock is still controlled by a key which is used in the padlock instead. This arrangement may as well be used on other doors that do not swing against a door jam, as for example, sliding doors or overhead doors, such as are found in garages, warehouses, etc.

It will be understood that the noxious gas to -be used may be any one of a number of gases, but the invention is particularly adapted to tear as.

It will be seen that in the ordinary operation of the lock shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, a key will be used to move the bolt into or out of locked position, but in unauthorized use, when pressure is applied against the door, the bolt plate [9 will be pressed outwardly against spring 21 so that the hammer 36 is engaged by the flange 19a and forced on the edge of abutment 3'! and by the spring means strikes the firing pin which sets off the explosive cartridge, which in turn breaks open the cylinder of noxious gas. The gas passes out through the aperture in the edge of the door such that the person will be affected without being able to stop the flow of the gas. In this manner the gas is released even before sufiicient pressure is used to actually break the lock open.

The new and improved lock entails a number of advantages not found in the prior art. For example, the helical torsion spring actuating the hammer takes a minimum of space for operation, has an adjustable tension, has the double function of actuating the hammer as well as retaining the hammer against the abutment, and allows a wide arc to attain great force before striking the firing pin.

The new and improved bomb container provides a permanent, easily replaceable, and substantially shock-proof container for the noxious gas. The pivoted firing pin on the cartridge prevents accidental discharge in transportation or installation. In addition, the cartridge is very easily replaced since it is not rigidly anchored within the lock.

The alternative arrangement using the chain device permits the use of the burglar-proof keycontrolled tear gas lock on doors not adapted to the first embodiment, and including double swinging, sliding, and overhead doors such as are commonly found in garages, warehouses, etc.

While particular embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A buglar-proof lock comprising a noxious gas-filled closed receptacle, an explosive charge, a firing pin adapted to set off said explosive charge and rupture said receptacle to discharge gas from the receptacle, a hammer for contacting the firing pin, spiral torsion spring means for causing said hammer to strike said firing pin, means for normally retaining said hammer out of contact with said firing pin, a bolt adapted to reciprocate in said look, a bolt plate integrally joined to said bolt and. formed with a guide slot, guide means cooperating with said slot, means for causing the release of said hammer by lateral movement of said bolt, coil spring means for normally resisting lateral movement of said bolt, said spiral torsion spring means also supplementing said coil spring means in resisting lateral movement of said bolt, and means for adjusting the tension on each of said springs.

2. A burglar-proof lock comprising a noxious gas-filled closed receptacle, an explosive charge, a firing pin adapted to set off explosive charge and rupture said receptacle to discharge gas from the receptacle, a hammer for contacting the firing pin, spiral torsion spring means for causing said hammer to strike said firing pin, means for normally retaining said hammer out of contact with said firing pin, a bolt adapted to reciprocate in said look, a plate carried by said bolt and formed with an inwardly extending flange adapted to engage said hammer, said harm mer being releasable by lateral movement of said bolt, and additional coil spring means for normally resisting lateral movement of said bolt with said spiral torsion spring means also resisting lateral movement.

3. A burglar-proof lock comprising a noxious gas-filled closed receptacle, an explosive charge, a firing pin adapted to set oii said explosive charge and rupture said receptacle to discharge 7 means for normally retaining said hammer out of contact with said firing pin, a bolt adapted to reciprocate in said lock, a bolt plate integrally joined to said bolt and having an inwardl extending flange adapted to engage said hammer, said bolt plate being formed with a guide slot, guide means cooperating with saidslot, said hammer being releasable by lateral movement of said bolt, and coil spring means for normally resisting lateral movement of said bolt, the first said spring means also urging said hammer against said hammer retaining means to normally prevent release thereof.

4. In combination, a door and a burglar-proof lock, said lock normally adapted to retain said door in locked position and to release noxious gas when great pressure is exerted against said door, said burglar-proof lock comprising a noxious gasfilled closed receptacle, an explosive charge, a firing pin adapted to set off said explosive charge and rupture said receptacle to discharge gas from.

the receptacle, a hammer for contacting the firing pin, spiral torsion spring means for causing said hammer to strike said firing pin, means for normally retaining said hammer out of contact 25 with said firing pin, a bolt adapted to reciprocate in said look, a bolt plate carried by said bolt and having a flange adapted to engage said hammer, said bolt plate being formed with a guide slot, a backing plate having an abutment extending through said slot and carrying said spiral torsion spring means, said hammer being releasable by lateral movement of said bolt, and coil spring means for normally resisting lateral movement of said bolt with said coil spring means being supplemented by said spiral torsion spring means.

JAMES JOSEPH WALSH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,206,939 Strohm Dec. 5, 1916 1,585,394 Lawrence May 18, 1926 1,758,096 Walsh May 13, 1930 1,792,023 Macy Feb. 10, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 145,535 Germany Jan. 27, 1903 

